On this day in history, August 16, America notes the loss of three cultural icons: Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, and Babe Ruth. Each of these legends left an indelible mark on their respective fields before passing away on this date—Franklin in 2018, Ruth in 1948, and Presley in 1977.
What makes these three most notable, perhaps, is the way that each reached the pinnacle of American pop culture: Franklin as the queen of soul; Ruth as the ‘sultan of swat’; and Elvis as the king of rock ‘n roll.
Aretha Franklin, who was born in Memphis in 1942, is celebrated as one of the greatest vocalists of all time. With over 75 million records sold worldwide, she topped Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “100 Greatest Singers of All Time” in 2008. Her iconic songs, including “Respect,” “Chain of Fools,” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” showcase her incredible vocal prowess and emotional depth.
In 1987 Franklin became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In addition, she received a Kennedy Center Honor in 1994, a National Medal of Arts in 1999, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005. After an eight-year battle with cancer, Franklin passed away in 2018 at the age of 76.
Elvis Presley, who died at age 42, left an immeasurable impact on global pop culture. Known the world over simply as Elvis, he also starred in 33 movies and is seen around the world as a global symbol of the United States of America. His sudden death at his Graceland Mansion sent shockwaves through the entertainment world.
With 109 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and recognized by Guinness World Records as the best-selling solo artist of all time, Presley sold more than one billion records worldwide, including 130 million in the U.S. alone. “Elvis is the greatest cultural force of the 20th century,” said celebrated composer Leonard Bernstein, highlighting his transformative influence on music and popular culture. Notable hits like “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Jailhouse Rock,” and his last hit “Suspicious Minds” remain staples in American music history and around the globe.
George Herman “Babe” Ruth (1895-1948) dominated baseball, American sports and the national headlines during his time in our cultural stage. Ruth, who passed away in 1948, is widely regarded as one of the most celebrated athletes in American sports history. His remarkable career, which began with the Boston Red Sox and later flourished with the New York Yankees, revolutionized baseball and helped popularize it in the United States. He helped lead the Boston Red Sox to World Series wins in 1915, 1916 and 1918 — before he was purchased by the New York Yankees in 1920. Ruth shocked the sports world by hitting a record 54 home runs in 1920, his first season with the Yankees. No other American League team totaled more than 50 home runs that year.
Ruth topped the American League in batting percentage 13 times, home runs 12 times and bases on balls 11 times, while leading the Yankees to World Series wins in 1923, 1927, 1928 and 1932. Ruth’s larger-than-life persona and extraordinary skills on the field continue to inspire athletes and fans to this day.
For more cool stuff that happened on this day in history, check out this article:
